This invention relates to footwear, particularly footwear whose size is adjustable.
The term “footwear” when used herein, is to be taken in its broadest sense and denotes shoes, sneakers, sandals, clogs, boots, skates, sportswear for the foot, etc.; and any of these terms may be substituted herein for the term “footwear”.
There is known in the art shoes whose longitudinal dimension is adjustable by a variety of ways.
U.S. Pat. No. 524,946 (Kregel) discloses a shoe intended for fitting to a deceased person for viewing and interment. Adjustability is achieved using an elastic band extending between a heel portion and toe portion designed to draw the heel portion forward to snuggly fit to the foot of the deceased.
U.S. Pat. No. 641,642 (Gunn) discloses a shoe, being adjustable length-wise and width-wise, the sole of which comprises a frame part at the shoe's heel and a shank at the middle/front of the sole. The frame part and shank are slidable with respect to one another to the extent of a slot in the shank. Upon adjusting to a desired length, the length of the sole is fixed by tightening a screw. The shoe comprises an upper, or top portion, designed to accommodate inserts on the right and left sides thereof, which can be folded to allow adjustment of the top portion of the shoe. The insert is secured by a lacing cord which passes between two vertical rows of eyelets. A similar arrangement is used to adjust the width of the shoe, with laterally arranged slots.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,684 (Affronte) describes a shoe, having a similar length adjusting means wherein the shank has a tongue being slidable within a receiving portion of the heel section of the sole. The tongue has a plurality of holes for allowing a screw to pass and fix the tongue to the heel section at a hole corresponding to the desired shoe length.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,175 (Mantos) provides a shoe formed of two main sections designed to be joined together by workmen in the shop of a shoe dealer whereby the size of the shoe can be adjusted to a given size prior to completing assembly of the shoe. A metal shank projecting from the toe section of the sole comprises an integral fork aligned with a metal sheath or plate mounted in the heel portion of the sole. The fork has tines with triangularly shaped lugs along their edges corresponding to receiving members on the sheath to allow the toe and heel sections of the shoe to be securely attached to produce a shoe having any number of discrete lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,481 (England) shows an expandable shoe having a mid-section of bellows-like material permitting longitudinal expansion and contraction along a sliding guide having a locking mechanism to secure the fit at a desired length. The locking mechanism comprises a metal shank having two sliding plates, one of which has a transverse slot for receiving a detent formed in the other plate. A screw assembly extending up though the heel is removed to allow the plates to slidable over one another, and then it is reinserted to retain the shoe in the newly extended position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,985 (Shina) discloses a stretchable shoe, particularly suitable for a growing child, comprising a front member and a rear member which may be adjusted in length. The front member and the rear member are separable and inter-connected by a screw which passes through one hole of the front member and one of a plurality of holes of the rear member. The front member is composed of an upper, an insole, a middle plate and a bottom plate, and the rear member is composed of a sole, an upper and a heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,980 (Lin) discloses an adjustable shoe which has a heel, a toecap and an insole. The front portion of an instep has a plurality of positioning protrusions. First and second fastening pads are disposed on two outer sides of the heel. First and second ball buttons are disposed on the rear surface of the heel. An adjustable pad with positioning holes therein is disposed on the toecap from which two flaps extend. The inner surface of the flap has a fastening element. The first and second positioning plates are extended from the back of the outsole. The first positioning plate holds the first socket button and the second positioning plate holds the second socket button.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,385 (Jungkind) describes a shoe sole having a jointed middle section located between toe and heel portions of the sole. The middle section is made of an elastically flexible of springy material configured as a wavy or folded web with crests and troughs. A spindle runs from the heel to the toe portions and has a head located inboard of the rear edge of the heel portion. The spindle is rotatable/screwable into a nut whereby the shoe can be adjusted in length.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide footwear whose size can be adjusted by the wearer. It would also be advantageous to provide such adjustable footwear which is personalizable and easily and quickly re-adjustable.